Welcoming Paulin Vieyra's Papers to Indiana University's Black Film Center & Archive

Abstract:This essay documents animating moments and key concepts in Stéphane Vieyra's donation of Paulin Soumanou Vieyra's papers to the Black Film Center & Archive at Indiana University. Speaking as the BFCA director at the time of the donation, the author brings to light philosophical, archival, and administrative aspects of the donation process that are often unseen by researchers but that impact their access to materials, particularly in our digital age. The author presents crucial questions of location and access to the donated materials during the years-long funding, cataloging, and preservation process to come.